Ping ChipR

[PMookie]

2 hours ago, jlukes said:

So I spend two hours at the practice green yesterday with just the ChipR and my 8 iron.  Wanted to really test the "couldn't you just use your 8 or 9 iron" theory.  Here are my findings

Shots from the fairway/fringe:

In this scenario, the ChipR and 8 iron performed pretty similarly on well struck shots.  Despite being nearly the same loft as the 8 iron, the ChipR definitely launched a bit higher and even seemed to spin a bit more (perhaps just better contact).  On shots were strike wasn't as ideal (toe, bottom groove, etc), the ChipR outperformed the 8 iron pretty significantly.  

Shots from rough:

This is really where the ChipR shines.  It's upright lie angle, heavier swing weight and sole shape really a help here.  With the 8 iron, so much more speed is required to get it through thick greenside rough.  The ChipR's swing weight allows for a more fluid stroke and eliminates some of the "yippiness" that comes when chipping out of deep rough.  I am also able to open the face of the ChipR and play some slightly lofted shots which is pretty cool.  The 8 iron just doesnt inspire any confidence out of deeper greenside rough

 

Worth it to be one of 14?

[null]

1 hour ago, PMookie said:

Worth it to be one of 14?

It does what it’s designed to do. That is for sure. Need to get more rounds in to determine if going from 50/54/60 to 52/58 works for my wedges. First round was just fine with the 52/58, will give it another run tomorrow morning as well!

[Rickp]

I checked on Ping site they do make LH model.

[ClarkWGriswoldIII]

I purchased, cleaned up and flipped a 70's era Ping Chipo last year.  Interesting little club with a bit of a following.

 

 

[null]

I played again on Friday and the chipper got a good workout.  I went up and down with it 4 out of 5 times and I can confidently say that I may have gotten 3 out of 5 with just my regular/irons wedges.

It really is a fantastic option for someone like me who struggles maintaining or reducing loft on a club and really allows me to his more regular chips that run out rather than relying on a wedge to stop the ball with spin/decent angle.  I can now play pitch shots with my 52 or 58 and then chips with my ChipR.  

What I do need to spend some more range time with is my new wedges.  Moving from 50/54/60 to 52/58 means my gap wedge goes about 5-10 yards shorter so I need to dial in my partial PW shots, my partial 52 shots and then see if I can get comfortable using my 58 on some full swings - something I really never did with my 60.  I am super comfortable taking less than full swings with my wedges, so it really isn't about comfort level so much as just learning my new yardages.  It shouldn't be too much of a learning curve and it will be worth the payoff for the added shots around the green I now have in my arsenal thanks to the ChipR

[mikeanthony]

34 minutes ago, jlukes said:

I played again on Friday and the chipper got a good workout.  I went up and down with it 4 out of 5 times and I can confidently say that I may have gotten 3 out of 5 with just my regular/irons wedges.

It really is a fantastic option for someone like me who struggles maintaining or reducing loft on a club and really allows me to his more regular chips that run out rather than relying on a wedge to stop the ball with spin/decent angle.  I can now play pitch shots with my 52 or 58 and then chips with my ChipR.  

What I do need to spend some more range time with is my new wedges.  Moving from 50/54/60 to 52/58 means my gap wedge goes about 5-10 yards shorter so I need to dial in my partial PW shots, my partial 52 shots and then see if I can get comfortable using my 58 on some full swings - something I really never did with my 60.  I am super comfortable taking less than full swings with my wedges, so it really isn't about comfort level so much as just learning my new yardages.  It shouldn't be too much of a learning curve and it will be worth the payoff for the added shots around the green I now have in my arsenal thanks to the ChipR

All this coming from a single digit handicap player, says a lot.

You def have peaked my interest in it and I can see myself taking out the 3h or 4h to include the ChipR. I may even try bump-n-running my 9i from a more upright shaft angle. 

[Berg Ryman]

So @jlukes, If I can ask a technique question since I may be jumping into this space, it it more of putting type stroke around the green, hence the more putter like build? I'm just think what I should get mine built to spec wise to make the best use of the club going in the bag if/when I order it

[null]

3 minutes ago, Berg Ryman said:

So @jlukes, If I can ask a technique question since I may be jumping into this space, it it more of putting type stroke around the green, hence the more putter like build? I'm just think what I should get mine built to spec wise to make the best use of the club going in the bag if/when I order it

Yes - definitely think of it more like a putter than an iron or wedge.  I like the 35" length because it lets me stand upright more and make a putting stroke with it, but also allows me to choke down as needed and get more creative with it.

I really love this club.

[Berg Ryman]

25 minutes ago, jlukes said:

Yes - definitely think of it more like a putter than an iron or wedge.  I like the 35" length because it lets me stand upright more and make a putting stroke with it, but also allows me to choke down as needed and get more creative with it.

I really love this club.

Ok, I'm thinking more SmartSole personally since I can order a bit cheaper from Cleveland/Srixon and the length is actually already at putter length for me. Did you go more upright with the build, or is it pretty close to stock?

[null]

8 minutes ago, Berg Ryman said:

Ok, I'm thinking more SmartSole personally since I can order a bit cheaper from Cleveland/Srixon and the length is actually already at putter length for me. Did you go more upright with the build, or is it pretty close to stock?

Stock.  Working great.  I went with the ChipR because it is more versatile than the Cleveland SS Chipper. Cleveland chipper has a SUPER wide sole.  Ping is a bit more traditional while still offering plenty of bounce and forgiveness

[Berg Ryman]

26 minutes ago, jlukes said:

Stock.  Working great.  I went with the ChipR because it is more versatile than the Cleveland SS Chipper. Cleveland chipper has a SUPER wide sole.  Ping is a bit more traditional while still offering plenty of bounce and forgiveness

Yeah, I hear you on the that, got to play around with a women's build on a chipper at GG, and as bad as I am right now I need all the bounce and help I can get. Made good sense to me and sadly they didn't have the Ping in stock or else that would have gotten a try.

[ButchT]

On 7/25/2022 at 1:31 PM, bens197 said:

I would bet my life’s savings that every golfer above scratch would benefit from a Chipr.  

Looking forward to following this one.

I have owned a Cleveland chipper for several years but stopped carrying it a while back. For a recent 5-day golf trip I put it back in the bag and removed my lob wedge. Over 5 days and 6 rounds, I NEVER had an occasion to use it. Best use for me is up to 5 yards off the green in the fringe, if in long grass I use a wedge. Just never needed it! But I did miss the lob wedge. Will be taking the chipper out again. 

[ButchT]

On 7/24/2022 at 12:55 PM, Samsonite said:

My "Mazel" chipper (Square Strike but with a different (more Jewish?) name - seriously, am I saying it wrong? Is there another way to pronounce "Mazel" except as part of "Tov"?) arrived yesterday - was going to do a mini-review, but then saw OG did an incredible thread a few years back, and figured it was overkill.  I got it in the black-version (not bright green - nasty, lol), and 45*, and was only able to use it around the back yard, but I will say that the design of it is pretty smart: weighted and upright like a putter, immediately gets me closer to the ball, ball flies legit dead straight for wherever I'm aiming.  So far, so good.

I've been chipping almost exclusively with my PW (44* set wedge), and have definitely seen an improvement from trying to use my 52*, but I'm still wildly inconsistent with the distance.  I'm curious to see if this helps my distance control - if not, I got it on sale on Prime Day for $60, so...easy enough to offload for a wash.

I'm also going to throw a midsize grip on it - the grip on this isn't CRAZY skinny or anything, but it stinks like a tire, and doesn't feel nearly as nice as my standard grips, so I'll see if that has any effect.

Loved seeing Ping come out with the ChipR (such a stupid name), but was pretty surprised at the near-$200 price, especially given the price of this (admittedly lower-quality, based on first impressions) thing.

L'Chaim. (now I'm just trying to make myself laugh)

 

Perhaps you are aware, but for those who aren’t, you cannot put a putter grip on it. 

[ButchT]

On 7/24/2022 at 8:07 PM, PBH3 said:

Does it come with a full set of iron covers!?!



now lets see people lose their minds...

I have always used iron covers in my bag while traveling to play golf but never on the course. Due to the positive comments and reasons expressed in posts on the subject I think I will try using on the course. 

[baja okie]

I play a lot of nine hole rounds with a Sunday bag. Something like this could be real handy with just the 5, 7 and 9 irons. A ChipR and SW would cover the bottom of the set. Throw in a driver, 7W and putter and you have a minimalist eight club bag.

[GolfSpy SAM]

47 minutes ago, ButchT said:

Perhaps you are aware, but for those who aren’t, you cannot put a putter grip on it. 

Yes! Thanks for the reminder for those who don't know - it makes them illegal for tourney play.  I'm not sure I'll end up using mine for more than fun rounds anyway, to be honest, as all the work I put in with my PW to get better results has actually made me less comfortable with the chipper than I am with the PW, lol.  I'm going to keep playing around with it to see if I can dial it in, but the nice thing about spending so little on it is that if it gets relegated, I won't feel bad.

 

[mackdaddy]

I have a Cleveland smart sole 46* and I love it for those shots just off the green in the rough.  A) I had an open spot in my bag.  B) I hit my wedges very well but like several of you I watched the Mark Crossfield videos on chippers and it made sense.  I have had it in the bag for about a month and a half.  I love the forgiveness of the broad sole.  I like the upright feel like I am putting.  There is no more worry when six feet from the pin and 3 feet in the rough, no worries that if I swing with soft hands that the club will get pulled off line, or that I will hit it 15 feet past.  For years I used a putter for these situations and it was the same worries as a wedge when everything was said and done.  Now with my Cleveland Smart Sole I am far more focused on making these shots, and I have been making lots of them.  The weight of the club and the wide sole let it glide on line with the right weight for these type shots.  Some rounds I never pull it.  Some rounds I use it on several holes with great success.  I have had 14 birdie since I bought this club.  I would caution against using it in to many situations it is not a fix all club.  I don't know what I would have removed from a full bag to add it.  If you rarely use a certain club in your bag give one a try.  I got mine on Ebay lightly used for about $70.  

I really think the Cleveland Smart Sole makes it easier to use than the Ping Chipr

[PutterNut]

I had found myself putting from off the green a lot. I'm a good putter, but my chipping can go either way. When I saw that Ping was coming out with the ChipR I knew this was something that I needed. I ordered one the day they were released. I tried it once and liked it. After that I cut it down 2 inches so that it would be more comparable to my putter length. I use Pure DTX standard grips on my irons and woods. I ordered a midsize so that I could stretch it to the max and still maintain a similar OD. After this I was even more pleased. It helped me win some money in the quota game. The older guys from years past knew what they were doing. At 73, I guess I'm one of them now. 

[ChuckZ]

On 7/22/2022 at 3:04 PM, tommc23 said:

I feel like this is just a big name version of the square strike. Am I wrong? I’m still interested in how it works for you though @jlukes

I am sure that I read that Ping is bringing back the chipper, which leads me to believe that it was around way before the square strike was even thought of.  If you read up on the chipper you can get the same results from an eight iron.  Instead of adding another club to my bag, I use my 8 iron very effectively and confidently as a chipper.   If you cannot make contact with the ball, does not matter which club you use.  Still have to have confidence in the club in your hand.  Congratulations to Ping for putting it back into their line.  Karsten Solheim was a great golf club builder.  Just sorry his patent ran out on the Anser putter.  Too many copies out there.    

[cnosil]

For those that don’t follow MGS social media you probably missed that they are doing a lab type test to evaluate the ChipR.  I participated yesterday and found the product intriguing but with some limitations.  The head is much heavier than I previously thought which I think helps avoid the chunky shot.   I think with some practice it would be great for bump and run and chip shots were you have lots of ground to utilize.  Basically the ball is going to roll out as you don’t create a lot of spin.  When you need to elevate the ball or want it to stop quickly the club may be a disappointment.  With the upright lie angle, thickish sole, and lower loft opening the face doesn’t produce reliable results.   I think for a player that struggles with fat and thin shots around the green this could be a game changer.  For players that want to do different types of shots around the green you will be disappointed and think it is a waste of a spot in the bag.  

[MyWifesSwingCoach]

On 8/15/2022 at 3:30 PM, ButchT said:

Perhaps you are aware, but for those who aren’t, you cannot put a putter grip on it. 

 

On 8/15/2022 at 4:19 PM, Samsonite said:

Yes! Thanks for the reminder for those who don't know - it makes them illegal for tourney play.  I'm not sure I'll end up using mine for more than fun rounds anyway, to be honest, as all the work I put in with my PW to get better results has actually made me less comfortable with the chipper than I am with the PW, lol.  I'm going to keep playing around with it to see if I can dial it in, but the nice thing about spending so little on it is that if it gets relegated, I won't feel bad.

 

While you may not be able to pit a putter grip on it, there isn't much difference diameter-wise to a JumboMax non-taper grip compared to say a SuperStroke grip.

JumboMax non-taper goes from 1.18" to 1.06" DIA

Superstroke says its Tour 1.0 is 1" DIA and 2.0 is 1.17" DIA

[null]

On 8/24/2022 at 11:16 AM, cnosil said:

For those that don’t follow MGS social media you probably missed that they are doing a lab type test to evaluate the ChipR.  I participated yesterday and found the product intriguing but with some limitations.  The head is much heavier than I previously thought which I think helps avoid the chunky shot.   I think with some practice it would be great for bump and run and chip shots were you have lots of ground to utilize.  Basically the ball is going to roll out as you don’t create a lot of spin.  When you need to elevate the ball or want it to stop quickly the club may be a disappointment.  With the upright lie angle, thickish sole, and lower loft opening the face doesn’t produce reliable results.   I think for a player that struggles with fat and thin shots around the green this could be a game changer.  For players that want to do different types of shots around the green you will be disappointed and think it is a waste of a spot in the bag.  

I think if you got it around the green for an hour or so you would be surprised with the versatility. I’m one that is always manipulating my stance and deliver around the greens and it is so fun to experiment with 

[cnosil]

18 minutes ago, jlukes said:

I think if you got it around the green for an hour or so you would be surprised with the versatility. I’m one that is always manipulating my stance and deliver around the greens and it is so fun to experiment with 

Probably as you can manipulate most clubs to do various shots.  We had specific tasks that we needed to do so there wasn’t a lot of time to experiment or figure out exactly how to elevate shots.  I did like the club and based on my results in many cases my results were better than my normal club selection.   The Ball seemed to have a lot of ball speed coming off the face so some shots weren’t the best but given a couple of hours to experiment it would be a solid addition to most players bags.  

[null]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

Probably as you can manipulate most clubs to do various shots.  We had specific tasks that we needed to do so there wasn’t a lot of time to experiment or figure out exactly how to elevate shots.  I did like the club and based on my results in many cases my results were better than my normal club selection.   The Ball seemed to have a lot of ball speed coming off the face so some shots weren’t the best but given a couple of hours to experiment it would be a solid addition to most players bags.  

The thing I’ve taken the longest to get used to is just how much spin the ball has on it. Routinely came up short in my first round because the ball checked up more than I thought it would!

[TheCanadianBogeyman]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:52 PM, jlukes said:

The thing I’ve taken the longest to get used to is just how much spin the ball has on it. Routinely came up short in my first round because the ball checked up more than I thought it would!

I agree.  Picked up a ChipR myself, and have used it for half a dozen rounds so far.  Technically it's my 15th club, but if I ever play competitive, I don't mind taking out my 3W (can always use my 7W off the tee if need be).  

I used to bump and run with a 9, but the problem I kept running into was that I wanted to be more upright.  Anytime I did lean the 9 more upright, I would make poor contact.  So I decided to give the ChipR a go.  I was also surprised at how much check I got on the ball (it's nothing like an actual wedge for spin, but compared to my 9 iron it definitely has more).  I have issues with my approach shots, and often end up just off the green in the short rough, or in front on a tight lie, and I've found the ChipR to be excellent at helping me get up and down.  I would say I probably use it on 4 or 5 holes a round.

[BIG STU]

On 8/15/2022 at 3:30 PM, ButchT said:

Perhaps you are aware, but for those who aren’t, you cannot put a putter grip on it. 

Yep correct for stipulated events going strictly on USGA rules. Now around our club and the groups I play in no one gives two rips. Club leagues around here are sorta loose too

[BIG STU]

On 8/16/2022 at 10:10 AM, ChuckZ said:

I am sure that I read that Ping is bringing back the chipper, which leads me to believe that it was around way before the square strike was even thought of.  If you read up on the chipper you can get the same results from an eight iron.  Instead of adding another club to my bag, I use my 8 iron very effectively and confidently as a chipper.   If you cannot make contact with the ball, does not matter which club you use.  Still have to have confidence in the club in your hand.  Congratulations to Ping for putting it back into their line.  Karsten Solheim was a great golf club builder.  Just sorry his patent ran out on the Anser putter.  Too many copies out there.    

Oh yes Ping had a similar version back around the Eye2 days called a Chip O. I have also in the past seen Kroyden versions made in the 50s. The Chip Os are highly sought after in Ping collector circles. I have a variety of clubs depending on how I feel that day for bump and runs. My favorite is the 5 iron stood on the toe Raymond Floyd style or Ben Crenshaw style. I also do similar shots with the 8I 9I and 51* wedge. I say as always it is whatever one feels comfortable doing.

In my vintage play I carry a hickory shafted Macgregor Niblick which is like 46* just for the fun factor. Really has a great feel

Edited August 28, 2022 by BIG STU

[null]

Going to have some fun tomorrow. Playing pitch and putt with my son. 18 holes, ranging from 40-70 yards. 
 

Only going to bring the ChipR and the putter.  

[Rickp]

4 minutes ago, Golfspy_Lukes said:

Going to have some fun tomorrow. Playing pitch and putt with my son. 18 holes, ranging from 40-70 yards. 
 

Only going to bring the ChipR and the putter.  

That should be a great time.  Be careful you’re son may beat you .  Let us know how it goes.

[Parshooter36]

17 hours ago, Golfspy_Lukes said:

Going to have some fun tomorrow. Playing pitch and putt with my son. 18 holes, ranging from 40-70 yards. 
 

Only going to bring the ChipR and the putter.  

I love this! Should be a great test to see how versitile the ChipR is.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Parshooter36